Where it all Began
by leapylion3
Summary: What if the Lars' took Leia instead? Follow her on this adventure to rescue Prince Luke Organa and save the Rebel Alliance, with the help of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Han Solo, Chewbacca, R2D2 and C-3PO.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

My life on Tatooine could be described as completely normal, ordinary, and as inconspicuous as you could possibly get. Well, it _was_, that is, until two droids came to be in our service. They sent me on a wild, never-ending adventure involving a rescue mission, an old Jedi Knight, a scoundrel, a walking carpet, love, a prince, two droids, and a bloody war between a small band of Rebels and the all-powerful Empire.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let me introduce myself. I'm Leia Skywalker, moisture farmer turned Jedi and Rebel hero. I was nineteen by the time our story starts, on a scorching hot summer afternoon on the Outer Rim desert planet of Tatooine…

* * *

><p>It was a normal day on the farm; Uncle Owen was cursing at the recently busted vaporator, Aunt Beru was cooking up a storm, and then there was me. An ordinary young woman, who wanted nothing more than to realize her dreams. Of course that wasn't going to happen anytime soon on this rock, but a girl could hope.<p>

It was probably a normal day on the rest of the planet, too; Stormtroopers doing their usual patrols, the scum of Mos Eisley doing more illegal things than a person could imagine, and Jawas were selling worthless scrap. Speaking of which…

"Leia! Come out front!" Uncle Owen bellowed; I knew what time of the month it was.

"Coming, Uncle Owen!" I called back, dropping my datapad onto the table and running for the stairs. When I stepped outside, I saw the huge Sandcrawler filled with droids, scrap metal, and anything else the Jawas could find. I was never fond of those rodents, nor am I now; they don't exactly scream 'reliable'.

I hung back while Uncle Owen spoke with the head Jawa. Droids were never really my thing; I hated to repair them, which ended up being quite often, considering the quality of the Jawas' merchandise. Our last droids ended up having a spontaneous combustion. It wasn't a pretty sight…

While I was lost in my thoughts, Uncle Owen picked a red R4 model, and a shiny golden protocol droid. I figured it was because Owen got sick of throwing curses and punches at the vaporator. "Leia, bring these two inside," my uncle instructed, handing the Jawa some credit chips.

"Sure," I plaster a fake smile on my face, walking up to the electronic duo. _Great_, I thought, _two more droids_.

"Hello, Mistress..?" The protocol droid begun, but trailed off because he didn't know my name.

"Leia,"

"Hello, Mistress Leia!" He chirped, waving his metallic arms. "I am C-3PO, human cyborg relations. I am fluent in over six million forms of communication-"

"Including Bocce?"

"Why yes, of course,"

I forgot about the astromech until his dome began to emit smoke. "Uncle Owen!" I cough, waving my arm through the smoke, "The astromech has a bad motivator!"

Uncle Owen yelled at the small rodent for a couple of minutes, before choosing a blue R2 unit, suggested by Threepio. "Go and clean 'em up a bit before dinner," Uncle Owen said when he returned to my side, counting his credit chips to make sure the Jawa didn't rip him off.

I flashed him another fake smile, one that I had perfected over the years. "Of course, Uncle," I then vowed to myself that I'd get off planet, sooner than later.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"Okay, so there's the oil bath," I pointed to a large tub in the middle of the room. "And there's the recharge station," I directed the astromech to the large panel.

"Thank you, Mistress Leia; this oil bath will do wonders for me!" Threepio chirped, lowering himself into the tub.

"Please, just call me Leia," I smiled faintly at the protocol droid.

"Of course, Leia,"

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair; I always wanted long hair, but Uncle Owen insisted on keeping it short, so my hair only went past my shoulders. I had seen holos of women with long, beautiful locks, and I had always been slightly envious of them. I also heard that men tended to be attracted to long hair. That would explain why I never had a boyfriend.

Artoo beeped, dragging me out of my thoughts. "Huh?" I turned to Threepio. "What did he say?"

"He wants to know if you'll remove his restraining bolt. Mine, too, if you don't mind," He stepped out of the bath, his metallic body glistening in the dim light of the garage.

"Of course I'll remove them," I assured the droids, while searching for my wrench. Artoo twittered and handed it to me with his built-in 'arm'. "Thank you," I patted his dome and kneeled down next to him. I started to fiddle with the bolt, but it was really stuck onto his side. After a couple of minutes of twisting, the bolt finally popped off, sending me flying backwards. A strange message began to play:

"Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope," The small figure was sharp, but occasionally flickered; it was probably shortened due to the restraining bolt. The young man in the holo was handsome, with piercing blue eyes, blond, slicked back hair and a white ensemble covered the rest of him. I guessed he must have been part of the military, or maybe a diplomat. Either way, he seemed to be important.

The message kept repeating that one line. "Artoo, who is this?" I questioned the droid, my gaze fixed on the hologram. Artoo tittered.

"He says it is Prince Organa of Alderaan," Threepio translated slowly. "I think he was one of the passengers aboard our ship,"

"Wow, a_ prince_!" I breathed. "Can I see the rest of the recording? It seems to be cut short," Artoo beeped quietly.

"I'm afraid Artoo will only show it to Obi-Wan Kenobi; I don't know who he's talking about, but he said Kenobi lives in this parts. Do you know him? Speaking of which, what planet are we even on?"

"Tatooine, the planet furthest from the center of the galaxy," I respond sardonically. "As for Kenobi, there's an old _Ben _Kenobi near here; could that be him?" Abruptly, the hologram vanished. "Artoo!"

"Leia, honey!" Aunt Beru called. "Dinner's ready!"

"Coming!" I stood up and turned back towards Threepio, "Try to get Artoo to play that message,"

"Yes, Mistress Leia."

* * *

><p>"Need help?" I asked Aunt Beru, picking up the container of blue milk and bringing it to the table.<p>

"Leia, you're too sweet," Beru smiled and shook her head, stirring some sort of stew in a big metal pot. She poured some in three bowls, and nodded towards the one filled to the top, "Give that one to your uncle; I'll get the other two,"

I brought the bowl to Owen, who gladly took it. "Hey, Uncle Owen," I sat down next to him, "I'm starting to think those droids are stolen,"

He looked up from his bowl to me. "Why would you think that?"

"I found a recording in the Artoo unit," I admitted, pouring each one of us a glass of blue milk. "And he said he belonged to an Obi-Wan Kenobi…I thought that maybe it was old Ben Kenobi. Or at least related to him,"

"Forget about that crazy wizard," Uncle Owen grunted around a mouthful of food. "Go to Anchorhead tomorrow and have its memory wiped; that'll be the end of it,"

I sighed and nodded my head, poking at my food, my appetite suddenly gone. "I've also been thinking about our deal…one more season and then I can go to Coruscant to study politics?"

"What about it?"

"Well, now that we've got those droids, maybe I could go sooner-"

"Leia, a deal's a deal," He said firmly, clenching his jaw.

"But all my friends have already left-"

"Leia," Owen ended the conversation by using his most stern tone.

I sighed again and stood up, decided to head to the garage. "Leia, dear, where are you going?" Aunt Beru asked worriedly.

"Looks like I'm going nowhere," I muttered bitterly under my breath, before turning back to Beru. "Gotta finish cleaning those droids,"

I started to run off, but abruptly stopped as I heard Beru and Owen murmuring about me; "She's got too much of her parents in her: her mother's love for politics and her father's impatience,"

"That's what I'm worried about."

* * *

><p>I sat on one of the many sand dunes, watching as the twin suns of the Tatoo system began to set. It was a beautiful sight; I was always mesmerized by them. The night cold creeped over the sand, sending shivers up my spine. I ran to the garage for warmth, taking the small control box from my belt. I pressed the button, expecting both droids to appear, but only Threepio came forward.<p>

"It wasn't my fault!" The droid cried, frantically waving his mechanical arms. "Please don't deactivate me, Mistress Leia! I tried to stop him, but Artoo _is _quite reckless, and he kept babbling about his mission-"

"You mean he's gone?" I exclaimed, cutting him off.

"Yes, ma'am…he's gone,"

I cursed a blue streak while pacing the length of the cramped garage. I whipped my head in Threepio's direction, "Where did he go?"

"Towards Ben Kenobi's, to deliver the message,"

"Kriff. We can't go get Artoo tonight,"

"Why not, Mist- Leia?"

I cringed just thinking about them. "Sandpeople," I fall onto the small repulsor chair and groan. "This little guy is gonna cause me a lot more trouble than I need. More trouble than a droid _should _cause,"

"Oh, he excels at that."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

The wind whipped my face as Threepio and I drove in the landspeeder. Well, he drove; I was on the lookout for that mischievous little astromech. I couldn't believe that Artoo would run off like that. A part of me thought Uncle Owen was right. I should just get the droid's memory wiped and that would be it. But another part of me was curious about his mission, and especially about this Obi-Wan character.

"Ben Kenobi is supposed to live in this general direction," I informed the droid, pointing in front of us, "Nobody's really sure where; everyone thinks Ben is insane, so they try to stay away from him. Still, I doubt Artoo would have been able to make it this far already."

"Miss, our sensors indicate a metal body up ahead. It could be our wandering friend,"

"Well let's hope we're lucky."

* * *

><p>"It's him, alright," I told Threepio, looking through my binoculars. "Slow down a bit, will ya?"<p>

"Of course, Mistress Leia," He obeyed, slowing the vehicle down and stopping right in front of Artoo. We hopped out of the landspeeder. Well, _I _hopped. Threepio awkwardly asked for my help to exit the speeder. "Artoo-Detoo! Just where do you think you're going?" The protocol droid scrutinized the astromech. Artoo whistled softly, backing away from the taller robot. "Mistress Leia is our new master now; I believe you should listen to her!" Threepio responded sharply, seemingly more appalled than before.

I stifled a giggle, enjoying the sight of the prissy droid. "It's alright, Threepio. I'll just take you him to Anchorhead and his memory will be erased. Problem solved,"

"If you think that's best, Mistress Leia,"

"How many times do I have to tell you? It's just Leia,"

"Yes, of course," Threepio replied. Artoo began to beep and whistle frantically. "Leia, Artoo's sensors indicate that there are several life forms approaching from the southeast,"

I lifted my binoculars up to my eyes, and to my dismay, I saw three Banthas next to a small group of Sandpeople. "Tuskens," I groaned, reaching into the speeder and grabbing my blaster and rifle. I began to walk a bit closer to their campsite, Threepio and Artoo surprisingly following me. "Watch your backs; Sandpeople are known to be aggressive-"

"Leia! Behind you!" Threepio yelped.

"What?" I whipped my head around, my eyes widening when catching sight of a Tusken barely two metres away from me. In panic, I fired off two quick shots at his feet with my blaster. I had dropped my rifle in the process, and noticing the Tusken was distracted for a few seconds, I bent down to pick up the rifle. I tucked and rolled just in time as he stabbed at where my head was with his gaderffii. "Threepio! You and Artoo go to the landspeeder!" I shouted, blocking another one of the Tusken's lunges with my rifle. I decided my rifle couldn't take anymore, so I quickly tossed it aside and fired off another couple of shots at his feet.

"But Mistress Leia, I, _we_ can't leave you-"

"Just do it!" I screeched, rolling out of the way of another stab from the gaderffii. "Go get it, and bring it back here!"

"Whatever you say!" Threepio waddled out of sight, with Artoo following close behind. It was in that second that I was watching the droids that the Tusken managed to deliver a devastating blow to my head. The last thing I heard was the triumphant howl of the Raider before everything went black.

* * *

><p>A wave a reassurance swept over me as I became conscious again. I slowly lifted my head and leaned on my elbows. Looking directly at me was just the man I wanted, <em>needed<em>, to see. "Ben Kenobi? Man, am I glad to see you!" I smiled widely at the old man as he helped me up.

He smiled at me in return. "I'm glad you're alright, young one. That Tusken certainly got you,"

"Tell me about it," I groaned, rubbing my head.

"Now tell me; what brings you all the way out here?"

"Surprisingly enough, this little droid," I gestured to Artoo, who was in the backseat of the landspeeder. "He said he belonged to an Obi-Wan Kenobi, so I guess he figured he was a relative of yours," I explained as Ben helped me sit on a nearby rock.

"Obi-Wan…" The elder got a strange far-away look in his blue eyes. "Now that is a name I haven't heard in a long time…"

"You know him?" I perked up, laying a hand on his robed arm.

"Know him?" He looked at me, his eyes filled with humour. "He's _me_. I haven't gone by the name of Obi-Wan since before you were born,"

"So Artoo does belong to you," I stated. "Listen, I'm so sorry about taking him away from you-"

Obi-Wan interrupted me. "I don't remember owning a droid. Not an R2 unit, anyway." His gaze shifted, focusing on something above my head. "I suggest we go indoors; Sandpeople are easily startled, but they'll soon be back, andin greater numbers."

* * *

><p>We arrived at Ben's hut a short while later. It was a cave, really, hidden in the depths of the Jundland Wastes. The inside was rather sparse of furniture, yet there was an aura of comfort throughout the entire household. In the far corner, there was a small repair area, so I began to fix Threepio arm, which had fallen off after being attacked by a Tusken. It happened sometime while I was unconscious, so I had been completely unaware of his missing limb until we found him deactivated a few yards away from where I had gotten attacked.<p>

I finished with Threepio, and went onto find the message in Artoo. "Hopefully I can find it…" I murmured to myself, fiddling with buttons on Artoo's side.

"May I?" Old Ben Kenobi crouched down beside me, a warm smile on his face.

"Of course," I handed him the wrench and backed away a little bit.

"What were you trying to find?"

"I saw part of a message for you, from a _prince_…"

The small hologram from last night began to play again, this time the full message. "I believe I found it," The old man sat back and stroked his beard, intently watching the holo.

"General Kenobi; years ago you served my father in the Clone Wars. Now he begs you to help him in his struggle against the Empire. I regret that I am not able to present this message to you in person, but my ship has fallen under attack and troops arrived so soon that I wasn't able to reach my X-Wing in time," The prince paused for a moment, probably thinking whether he should mention the next part. "I have placed information vital to the survival of the Rebellion into the memory systems of this R2 unit. My father will know how to retrieve it. You must see this droid safely delivered to him on Alderaan. This is our most desperate hour. Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope," Organa looked both ways, most likely watching for Stormtroopers, before he leaned closer to Artoo and ended the message.

Both of us were quiet for a couple of minutes as we processed all of this information. I was the first to speak. "Ben, you fought in the Clone Wars? A _general_?" I gaped at him in awe.

"I was a general, and a Jedi Knight," He told me. A faint smile painted his features. "Like your father,"

"But my father was a just a navigator on a space freighter,"

The old man's smile broadened and looked at me, his blue eyes shining. "That's what your uncle told you. Owen didn't agree with your father's choices; he believed Anakin should have stayed here on Tatooine. But the farming life just wasn't for him,"

"Anakin," I whispered, testing the name out. It was the first time I heard my father's name, and already I felt more connected to him. "I wish I'd known him,"

"He was the galaxy's best starpilot," Obi-Wan recalled, his gaze becoming slightly foggy. "He was a great knight; I was amazed at how strong the Force was with him. And he was a good friend," His eyes lost the faraway feeling when he looked back to me. "All of this reminds me; I have something for you," The elder stood up and walked to a large chest. He opened it and rifled through it, tossing various objects to the side. When satisfied with the object in his hand, he brought it over to me. "When you were old enough, your father wanted you to have this," He handed me a small cylinder tube. It was silver, with a couple of buttons on it, but it didn't look like it was anything special. It was a bit hard for me to believe it was my father's; it was in prime condition. Apart from a few scratches, it was perfect.

"What is it?" I finally asked Ben, my eyes glued to the object.

"Your father's lightsaber. The weapon of a Jedi Knight," He explained as he handed it to me. "An elegant weapon; not as clumsy or random as a blaster. It takes great skill to handle one of these,"

"May I?" I asked quietly, my thumb hovering over the activation button.

He smiled kindly. "Of course."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Obi-Wan told me about the Jedi, and how they were the most powerful and respected force in the galaxy. He said that they served as guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic. The more he spoke, the more interested I became. I've heard of the Jedi, sure, but I had never heard this much about them; I hadn't realized their importance before this encounter. I felt awkward asking the question, but felt the need to; "Obi-Wan…how did my father die?"

He hesitated for a moment, and shifted in his seat, before speaking quietly, "He was betrayed and murdered by a young Jedi named Darth Vader," He stroked his beard and leaned back in his seat, not looking me in the eye. "I took it upon myself to train the boy; one of my brightest pupils, but one of my biggest failures. He took my training and the Force, and used it for evil,"

"You spoke of the Force a few times…what exactly is it?" I asked, shutting off the lightsaber.

"The Force is what gives Jedi their strength and power," Ben explained, making a wide gesture with both arms. "It's an energy field created by all living things; it surrounds us, penetrates us…binds the galaxy together," He looked at me seriously. "You must learn the ways of the Force. Come with me to Alderaan,"

I laughed softly and shook my head. "Alderaan. You _know _I can't. I have…farming to do. And it's such a long way from here,"

"That's your uncle talking," He smiled crookedly. He was right, although I wouldn't admit it.

"I've got to get back home, anyway," I avoided his gaze, standing up and beckoning the two droids. "It's getting late, and I'm in for it as it is,"

"Leia, I need your help," Obi-Wan gripped my sleeve with surprising force, preventing me from leaving. "I'm getting too old for this sort of thing. This mission is important; you saw the message,"

I whipped my head towards the old man, my eyes boring into his. "Look, as much as I'd love to, I just can't get involved! I don't like the Empire, I _hate _it, but there's nothing I can do about it!"

"Come with Alderaan with me," He pleaded, looking wearier than I've ever seen him.

I sighed, racking my brain for options. I couldn't possibly go to Alderaan with him, no matter how much I wanted to. "How about…I can take you as far as Anchorhead. You could get a transport from there to Mos Eisley,"

"Very well," He nodded, releasing my arm. "You must do what you feel is _right_."

* * *

><p>We had gotten out of the speeder about halfway between Ben's hut and my homestead. He said he saw some smoke, and that we should check it out. I agreed, hoping it would make not going to Alderaan seem a little less…awful. The smoke ended up coming from a Sandcrawler; the same one that belonged to the Jawas who sold us Artoo and Threepio.<p>

"Looks like Sandpeople did it," I murmured, inspecting Bantha tracks beside the Sandcrawler.

"They didn't," Obi-Wan stated, "But it is intended that we should think so,"

"I don't understand,"

"Look at the tracks again. These are side by side; Sandpeople always ride single file to hide their numbers," Before I had the chance to respond, the elder turned to the colossal vehicle. "Look at the precision of these shots; Raiders aren't that accurate. Only Stormtroopers shoot with such exactness and efficiency,"

"Those are the same Jawas that sold us the droids," I told him what I realized when first spotting the Sandcrawler. "If they tracked the droids to the Jawas, that would lead them back…" I didn't even get to finish my sentence; I was already dashing towards the landspeeder.

"Leia! Wait!" Ben shouted. "It's too dangerous!"

I ignored him and hopped into the speeder, going at top speed the whole way home, not caring if the engine would get damaged from the incredible heat. I saw the smoke from a kilometre away, fear and adrenaline pumping through my veins. No…they _couldn't _have…but somehow, some reason, they did.

The homestead was smoking, the walls covered in holes made by blaster fire. "Aunt Beru?" I choked out through tears, hopping out of the landspeeder. "Uncle Owen?" It was difficult to see through the smoke, but I managed to make out two smoking shapes. My aunt and uncle. Or what was left of them, at least.

* * *

><p>I drove back to the Sandcrawler where I had left Ben and the droids, fighting tears from escaping my eyes. Beru and Owen were the only family I had, and now…I had no one. No one except Ben. Maybe it was a sign; maybe I <em>should <em>go to Alderaan. Sign or not, it didn't stop the aching I felt in my chest.

"I'm sorry, Leia," Ben said gravelly, "But there was nothing you could have done. You would have shared their fate,"

I stared into his bright blue eyes. "I want to come with you…to Alderaan. There's nothing left for me here. I'll come with you, and after, I'll go to Coruscant just…just like I always wanted,"

He smiled warmly at me and put a hand on my shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "You will soon learn your destiny, young one."

* * *

><p>We cruised into Mos Eisley, keeping a watchful eye out for Imperials, or anyone else who'd stir up some trouble. The spaceport was quite different than Anchorhead; Mos Eisley was packed with hundreds of different species, some I hadn't even seen before. I manoeuvred the landspeeder through the outskirts of the town, when we ran into the very thing we had been trying to avoid; Imperials. It was a group of six or so Stormtroopers; I calculated whether or not the odds would be in our favour for a fight. If it came to that, of course.<p>

The commander stepped forward, gesturing towards Artoo and Threepio with his rifle. "How long have you had these droids?"

"About three or four seasons," I lied, hoping it was convincing enough. Probably was; Stormtroopers aren't the brightest viroblade in the kitchen drawer.

"They're for sale, if you want them," Ben added, his tone and expression completely relaxed. _Too_ relaxed, in my opinion; what if they blasted us on the spot?

"Lemme see your identification," The commander demanded, taking another step forward.

Obi-Wan waved his hand, "You don't need to see her identification,"

"Uh, we don't need to see her identification,"

"These aren't the droids you're looking for,"

"These aren't the droids we're looking for,"

"Move along,"

"Um, move along,"

As soon as we were out of earshot, I stared at Ben in awe. "How…how the hell did you _do _that?"

He chuckled quietly. "In time you will learn to do that; the Force has the ability to influence others. It's a powerful ally. But you must learn to use it properly, and for the light side,"

I still wasn't too sure about this whole matter of the 'Force', but I forgot about it once we pulled up in front of the cantina. It looked dingy and disgusting from the outside; probably looked the same on the inside. Maybe even worse. Who knows what kind of scum lies behind those doors?


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

I had to admit that I was astonished by the variety of creatures lingering throughout the cantina. Sure, I had seen some of them in holos, even in Anchorhead, yet there were still hundreds I had never seen before. Some with tentacles, sharp claws, multiple sets of eyes, large snouts…it seemed like something out of a nightmare. "Are you sure we can find a pilot here?" I murmured to Ben Kenobi.

"Many of the most talented starpilots have been found in this cantina," He assured me, strolling towards the bar. Surrounding it were more nightmare species; I stuck close to the old general, as did Artoo and Threepio. "Watch yourself, young Leia. This place can be rough," He warned, gesturing for me to wait where I was. I did as instructed, and watched him walk towards an extremely tall, furry creature. A Wookie, or so I've been told.

"We don't serve their kind here," A gruff voice scolded.

"Pardon me?" I looked up at the bartender, startled. Part of my plan was to stay as invisible as possible. Looks like that plan failed.

"Yer droids," He sneered, gesturing to my metal companions.

"Of course. I'm sorry, sir," I told him, before whispering to the androids to wait out by the speeder. They obediently exited the cantina.

I kept to myself and sipped my drink, hoping no one would talk to me. I wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone besides Ben; all these creatures seemed much too shady for my liking. Suddenly, someone- or some_thing_- tapped me on my shoulder. I whipped my head around to see a human male with a deformed face staring back at me. He was short- just slightly taller than me- and he wore ripped and stained clothing. Standing next to him was an Aqualish, looking even uglier than they did in the holos. I cleared my throat, and backed away a couple of steps. I was tempted to ask the human what had happened to his face, but I decided it would be better not to. "M-may I help you?"

The human chuckled and took another step towards me. I would have backed away, but that would have resulted in bumping into a rather intimidating-looking, unknown being. "We just wanted to know if you'd let us buy you a drink," The Aqualish said something in his own language, but the human didn't bother translating. "So how about it, pretty lady?" He leered.

"Back away, gentlemen," Obi-Wan demanded from behind me. Instantly, a wave of relief washed over me. Ben always showed up when I needed him most. "Let me buy you two some drinks,"

At that moment, the two strange men lunged themselves at us. The alien swung at me, but I ducked just in time. He hit the counter with a large _thunk_, softly whimpering. He regained his strength and swung again. The blue-white light appeared so suddenly no one expected it. The Aqualish squealed as he looked from his stump, to his arm lying on the floor. The two men ran off somewhere into the crowd, leaving Kenobi and I alone.

"Follow me," The Jedi instructed. He led me to the Wookie from earlier. "This is Chewbacca. He is the co-pilot of a ship that might suit our needs. He agreed to take us to the ship's pilot," The Wookie grunted something in return, and he walked towards the back. Ben gripped my hand and we followed the alien. We sat down in a booth, and waited. Neither of us said anything, we just waited for Chewbacca and the pilot to come see us.

A few moments later, the Wookie returned with a tall human; Corellian, by the looks of it. He was extremely handsome, far more handsome than the local men. I guessed he was a few years older than me. And far taller, that's for sure. But then again, pretty much everyone is taller than me. The man was tan, and wore a long-sleeved beige shirt under black vest, navy pants with red piping up the sides- some kind of award, I assumed- and black pilot boots. His dark brown hair curled just at his collar, making him look slightly scruffy. He sat down across from me, and I noticed how his hazel eyes changed in the different lighting. He looked from me to Ben, and I couldn't help but remark that the pilot did a double take when looking at me. I felt my cheeks heat up, and thanked the stars that the lighting was extremely dim.

"Han Solo, captain of the Millennium Falcon," The Corellian introduced himself. "Chewie tells me you're looking for passage to the Alderaan system?"

Ben nodded his head. "That's right. _If_ it's a fast ship,"

Han's eyebrows shot up. "Fast ship? You've never heard of the Falcon?"

Obi-Wan seemed to be amused. "Should I have?"

"It's the ship that made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs," He lectured, leaning towards the general. "I've outrun Imperial starships; and not those local bulk cruisers. No, I'm talkin' 'bout the big Corellian ones. I think she's fast enough for ya, old man," Han relaxed visibly and sunk deeper into the dingy cantina booth. "What's your cargo?"

"No cargo. Only passengers; myself, the girl, and two droids," Ben paused for effect, "And no questions asked,"

Solo looked smug. "No questions, huh? Is it local trouble?"

"Let's just say we'd like to avoid any…_Imperial _entanglement,"

"Well, that's the real trick, isn't it?" The smuggler looked around, and then turned back to Ben and I. "Ten thousand, all in advance," He smirked at my appalled reaction.

"Ten _thousand_?" I exclaimed, speaking to the smuggler for the first time. I turned to Obi-Wan. "We could almost buy our own ship for that!"

Solo's smirk grew wider. "Yeah, but who's gonna fly it, sister? You?"

I held my chin up high. I was able to fly a skyhopper, or a landspeeder, sure, but that was _totally _different. Still, I wasn't going to let Han win this round. "Better than you, I'm sure," I smiled smugly, hoping I convinced him.

He was about to speak, but Ben intervened. He placed one hand on my arm, and one on Solo's. "Please. May we discuss the matter at hand?" The Jedi raised an eyebrow at us. Han and I nodded reluctantly in response. "Good," Obi-Wan became all business. "We haven't that much with us, but we can give you two thousand now…and _fifteen_ once we reach Alderaan,"

Solo grinned and leaned forward. "Seventeen _thousand_?" Kenobi nodded his head and smiled faintly. "Looks like you've got yourselves a ship. Docking bay ninety-four; we'll leave as soon as you're ready," He gestured towards the bar. "Coupl'of Stormies over there. You might wanna get outta here," Ben and I nodded our thanks, and weaved our way through the crowd, sneaking out the door. I thanked the stars once more for the dim cantina lighting.

"You'll have to sell your speeder," Kenobi told me, dashing towards the vehicle.

I followed suit. "That's alright; I'm never coming back here," As I spoke the words, I felt a tingling sensation in the back of my brain. Were those words true? Maybe I'd come back here. But it better be for a good reason.

* * *

><p>When we reached the docking bay, I couldn't help but gasp. In front of us was the most worn out piece of scrap metal I had ever <em>seen<em>. "What a piece of junk!" I exclaimed, clutching my poncho tighter against me.

"She may not look like much, but she's got it where she counts," Solo said, swaggering up beside me. "I've made a few special modifications myself. She'll make point-five past lightspeed, I think she's fast enough for ya, sweetheart,"

I brought myself up to my full height, but he was still around a foot taller than me. I stuck a finger in the pilot's face. "_Don't_ call me that," My eyes shot daggers at him.

"Cute _and _feisty," Solo murmured, studying me. I huffed and started walking towards the ship. "You know, it would help if I knew your name!" He called.

I turn back towards him, my expression softening. "Leia," He grinned at me, making him appear younger and more…genuine, I suppose. I smiled back at him. Maybe Solo wasn't as bad as I thought.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

"You can stop worrying about the Imps," Solo bragged, stepping into the lounge. "Told ya I'd outrun 'em," He sat down on the seat next to Ben. When no one responded, the smug smile on his face got wiped right off. "Don't everybody thank me at once," He muttered under his breath. I would have loved to make a snide remark, but I was training with Ben. I didn't really want to, but Ben insisted it was my 'destiny'. He was bringing this up a lot lately. Maybe Uncle Owen was right. Maybe Kenobi's just crazy.

Chewbacca growled angrily, banging his fists against the holochess table. I guessed Artoo and Threepio had beaten him. Again. "He made a fair move," The protocol droid said, "Screaming about it won't help you,"

"It's not wise to upset a Wookie," Han told him, examining his nails.

"No one worries about upsetting a droid, sir," Threepio replied, obviously taken aback.

A wide grin slowly spread across the smuggler's face. "That's because droids don't rip your arms out of their sockets when they lose,"

"Artoo," Threepio whispered to his companion, "Let the Wookie win,"

I smiled in spite of myself, igniting my lightsaber. The ancient weapon hummed as I moved it from left to right, dodging the shots from the small flying dome in front of me. I blocked the thin red shots with ease, a wave of pride washing over me. "Leia, your cuts are a bit too choppy. Relax a little," Ben suggested, crossing one leg over the other. "Remember, a Jedi can feel the Force flowing through them,"

"So it controls your actions?"

"Partially. It also obeys your commands," The Jedi explained, leaning back in his seat. I nodded my head, relaxing my shoulders. He was right; my cuts became smoother and more precise. "Well done, Leia," He praised, nodding his head in approval.

I couldn't help but notice Solo watching me out of the corner of my eye. Was he attracted to me? No, he couldn't be. We just met, and he's five, ten years older than me. And, well, look at me. I'm not exactly the most eye-catching woman out there. But still…it was possible, wasn't it? He _did _call me cute…I felt my cheeks heat up, and I silently cursed myself. Focus- "_Ow_!" I screeched, rubbing my sore thigh.

"You must _focus_," Ben told me sternly. "You have to learn to control the Force," It was hard to listen to him when all I heard was Solo's whooping laughter.

"Hokey religions and ancient weapons ain't no match for a good blaster at your side, sweetheart," The smuggler sneered, his smirk infuriating.

"Shut it!" I yelled at him, pointing the lightsaber in his face. "I _told _you to stop calling me that!"

"Leia," With one word, Ben had already said so many things. _Leia, calm down. Leia, anger is the path to the Dark Side. Leia, stop acting like a two year old. _

"I'm sorry," I muttered reluctantly, closing down the saber. I turned back to Solo. "You don't believe in the Force, do you?"

"I've been to one end of this galaxy to the other," He began, steepling his fingers. "Seen a lot of strange things. But _nothing _is gonna make me believe there's some all-powerful force," He made a sweeping gesture, "controlling everything. Ain't nothing controlling _my _destiny except for me," Okay, so maybe he's not as bad as I thought. Maybe he's worse.

Ben pulled a helmet off the rack and handed it to me. "Try it again; this time with this helmet. And the blast shield _down_,"

"Uh, Ben?" I asked sheepishly after putting it on. "It's a bit…big. To say the least,"

"A _bit_?" Han blurted, a snort of laughter escaping him.

I glared at him through the blast shield, tempted to slice his head off. "Hey, it's not my fault!" I pouted. "I didn't _ask _to be small,"

"Yeah, and _I _didn't ask to meet a bratty, childish _farmgirl_!" He retorted, obviously annoyed with me.

I ripped the helmet off my head, not caring how bad my hair looked. I wound up, ready to throw it at Solo- "Leia, Han!" Obi-Wan yelled, finally losing his patience with us. "That is en_ough_!"

"I'm sorry, sir," Han and I quietly apologized. I didn't know about him, but I was embarrassed beyond belief.

Suddenly, the Jedi lurched forward, a pained expression on his face. "Ben?" I called, dashing towards the elder. I kneeled beside him and looked him in the eyes. "Are you alright? What happened?"

"I feel a great disturbance in the Force," He murmured, clutching his sides. "As if millions of voices cried out in terror and were suddenly…silenced…" He got a faraway look in his eyes; the same look he got when he told me about my father. I shared a quizzical looked with Han, and then helped Obi-Wan stand up. Hopefully he was alright.

A small red light had begun to flash, muffled alarms going along with it. Solo glanced at the board next to him, nodded at Chewie, and informed us; "We're coming up on Alderaan. Me an' Chewie are gonna go pull us outta lightspeed," He went to the cockpit, with the Wookie in tow.

The ship shuddered and rocked from side to side. I struggled to keep my balance as I entered the cockpit. "What the hell's going on?" I shout over the noise.

"We're in an asteroid field!" Solo yelled back, his hands flying over the control panel. He craned his neck to check the computer screen. "According to the nav-computer, our position is correct, but…no Alderaan,"

"Alderaan, _gone_?" I gaped. "That-that's crazy!" I held onto the back of his chair to keep from falling over.

"Look for yourself," He replied grimly, pointing to the transparasteel viewport. "There's a lot of energy and solid waste out there. Almost as if Alderaan's been…blown away," He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Destroyed, maybe. But how?"

"By the Empire," I had almost forgotten Ben was here until that firm declaration.

"The entire Imperial fleet couldn't have done this," Han snorted, shifting in his seat. A soft beeping sounded, bringing the pilot to full alert. "Another ship,"

"Maybe they'd know what happened?" I tried to sound hopeful, but it sounded more doubtful than anything.

"That's an Imperial fighter," Ben pointed out, stroking his beard.

Chewbacca growled angrily. I wish I could have understood him. "Chewie, it's a short range fighter," Han told his friend, a hint of annoyance in his voice. "It couldn't have followed us all the way from Tatooine,"

"So where did it come from?" I murmured, studying the small ship. "There are no bases around here,"

"There," Han pointed to a round, gray shape. "From that small moon. The Empire must have an outpost there,"

Obi-Wan shook his head and breathed softly, "That's no moon. It's a space station."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

"A _space station_?" Han echoed in disbelief. "Look at the size of that thing; it's too big to be artificial!" His eyes were fixed on the giant moon-like shape looming in front of us.

"I have a bad feeling about this," I murmured, more to myself than anyone else. I clung onto the back of his chair, hoping he'd just turn this ship around and get the hell out of here.

"I think you're right, sister," He agrees, his face twisting into a scowl. "Put her 'n full reverse, Chewie," The Wookie growled and began to adjust controls. His hairy hands moved so fast, I had a hard time keeping up with it. Chewie growled something, Han's eyes widening in horror in response. "Lock in the auxiliary power!" He ordered, his voice barely audible over the groaning of the engines.

"Why are we still moving towards it?" I demanded, leaning closer to Solo. From his profile, I could tell that his jaw was clenched in concentration.

"We're caught in a tractor beam, sweetheart," He muttered, hands flying over the controls. "Strongest one I ever saw. It's dragging us in,"

I ignored the nickname. "You mean there's nothing we can do?"

He shook his head furiously. "Not against this kind of power. It's no use," He looked up at me, a slightly apologetic expression on his face. "I'm gonna have to shut down the power or we'll melt our engines."

* * *

><p>The freighter landed in the hanger bay without a scratch, which made Han relax a little. I was able to hear sets of boots outside the ship, no doubt belonging to Stormtroopers. "Got any place to hide?" I asked the pilot quietly.<p>

Chewie growled softly, and Han translated; "Smuggling compartments. We gotta hurry, though." Ben and I followed him to the lounge, where we watched the Wookie and smuggler lift the floor up, revealing small compartments underneath. Solo looked at me. "Chewie and Kenobi in one, me and you in the other,"

I raised an eyebrow at him and put a hand on my hip. "Why do I get the feeling you just want to be in an enclosed space with me?"

"Leia, no arguing," Ben interjected in a hushed tone. "Just get in,"

"Fine," I huffed. The pilot was already inside the compartment. He surprised me by offering his hand to help me down, but I just jumped inside. He closed the panel above us, and I could tell by the screeching that Chewie and Ben were doing the same. It was cramped in these things, and awfully stuffy. Solo's body was slightly pressed against mine, making this situation even more awkward. It was dark in there, so at least he couldn't see me blushing. He always had that effect on me, even though I couldn't stand him.

I let out a small gasp as I heard the Stormtrooper's boots above us. Han squeezed my hand in reassurance, offering me a small smile. _It'll be alright_, he mouthed, his eyes shining in the dim light.

_I hope so_, I mouthed back, a strange sensation appearing in the pit of my stomach. What if he wasn't right? What if they find us, and kill us on the spot? Or, worse, what if they torture us, a long, painful death ensuing? I desperately tried not to think about that; I had to live out my destiny, like Ben said. I had my whole life in front of me.

"You okay?" He asked, barely a whisper. "You're trembling,"

"I'm fine," I breathe back, biting my lip. "Just nervous,"

"Scared?"

I fractionally nodded my head, reluctant to admit it. How come he was able to get me to admit stuff like this? One moment he's cocky beyond belief, and the next moment he's sweet and charming. He drove me crazy.

"Me too," Han admitted, squeezing my hand again. We didn't speak again, the soft sounds of our breathing the only sound we allowed; we had to pay attention to every move the troopers made, every word they said. Hopefully they'd be gone soon. I felt my heartbeat increase rapidly, my breathing becoming shallower. "Hey, it's gonna be alright," He whispered, pressing himself even closer against me. He sounded confident, but I was able to feel his heartbeat; he was nervous, alright. And it probably didn't help that we were in such close proximity.

"You sure about that?" I asked, my voice sounding foreign in my ears. I had always been so confident, adventurous, fearless. Now I was scared, no matter how much he reassured me. There was a sense of danger at the back of my mind ever since we walked into that cantina. I wasn't sure if it was because of Han, or because of this whole situation. Either way, I had a bad feeling. A _very _bad feeling.

"Hey, me 'n Chewie have gotten out of worse situations," The smuggler encouraged me, resting his forehead against mine. I suddenly got even more nervous, but not because of the Imperials above us. No, it was the girly, embarrassed, first crush kind of nervous. I felt my palms begin to sweat, my heart beating even faster than before. If I'd just tilt my chin up, our lips would meet…

_Click, click, click_. "What was that?" I asked him, a shudder going down my spine.

"Chewie. Coast is clear. Let's get outta here," He reached up and pushed the compartment cover aside. I gasped in surprise when he put his hands on my waist, but instantly flustered when I realized it was just to help me out of the smuggling compartment.

"Sure is handy you have these things," I commented, taking his hand and pulling him up.

"Yeah, well, never thought I'd be smuggling myself in these," He muttered, brushing the dust off his pants. I assumed the compartments hadn't been used in quite awhile. The dust irritated my nose, causing me to let out a sneeze. "This is ridiculous," Han snorted, ignoring my sneezes. "Even if I could take off, we'd never get past that tractor beam,"

"Leave that to me," Ben said, hopping out of the compartment.

"Damn fool, I _knew_ you were gonna say that," Solo sneered with a roll of his eyes.

Kenobi grinned, a glint of humour in his eyes. "Who's the more foolish; the fool or the fool who follows him?" He and Chewbacca walked closer to the hatch; they said they had an idea. Hopefully it would work.

"Thank you," I smiled faintly at Han.

"For what?" He asked, a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. He ran a hand through his scruffy brown hair, leaning back on his elbows.

"For making me feel better, I suppose," I explained, my cheeks turning a light pink. I surprise the both of us by leaning in and pressing a quick, gentle kiss on his cheek.

"Uh, no…no problem, I guess…" He stammered. Han Solo, the cocky, conceded pilot, nervous just because of a kiss on the cheek? From me, at that? How strange. The male species is so weird.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

"You're kidding me," I growled, my voice muffled by the Stormtrooper helmet. "I look absolutely ridiculous," I muttered, the voice filtration system making me sound like all the other cookie-cutter troopers.

"Will you stop complaining?" Solo snapped, shutting the door behind us. He blasted it for good measure, drawing a groan of annoyance from Ben, Chewie and I.

"With all your blasting, it's a wonder the whole damn _station _doesn't know we're here," I spat, removing my oversized helmet. I looked extremely stupid; the armour was _at least _four sizes too big, not to mention the awkward height difference. I had suggested that Ben wear it instead of me, but _no_, no one listens to the girl. Gods, I hated being the only female in this little 'posse'.

"Bring it on," The smuggler sneered, falling into the control officer's nerf-leather chair. "I prefer a straight fight to all this sneakin' around,"

"Have fun in hell," I snarled, my eyes shooting daggers at the pilot. I couldn't believe we actually almost kissed. I repressed a shudder at the thought. This man was incorrigible, cocky, over-confident, and downright _impossible_. "It's a wonder you're still alive," I tossed my rifle on the floor, walking up to Solo. "From now on, you do as I tell you, okay?" He responded by giving me a dirty look, muttering curses under his breath.

Han and I turned to look at Kenobi, who was operating a computer console with ease and confidence. He was as relaxed as ever, as if we didn't have Stormtroopers on our backs, or that the ship was stuck in the hangar bay until we found a way out. He gestured towards Artoo; "Plug him in," He ordered, leaning forward and checking out the display. "He should be able to find a plan of this station so I may find where the tractor beam power-unit is located," The astromech plugged an arm into the computer socket, beeping and whistling as he scanned the files.

"He found it!" Threepio chirped excitedly, after several minutes of watching Artoo scan files and retrieve information. "The tractor beam is in the same location as the main reactors; most of the data in this computer is restricted, but he will do the best that he can,"

The Jedi turned towards Han and me. He answered my unspoken question; "I don't think there's any way you can help with this. I must go alone,"

"Fine by me," Solo said indifferently, twirling a small blaster around his fingers. "I already got more than I bargained for on this trip,"

"I can't believe you," I gaped at the smuggler. "All you ever think about is yourself-"

"Leia, he's right," Ben said softly, putting a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "We did only hire him to be our pilot, after all. We expected none of this," He looked me in the eyes. "You are to stay here and watch the droids; they know too much, and it would be a disaster if they were to end up in the hands of the Empire," Before I could protest, Ben slipped out the door, leaving me slightly shaken.

Chewie and Han shared a look. "Where'd you dig up _that _old fossil?" The Corellian asked in shock, giving me a strange look.

"Obi-Wan is a great man," I brought myself up to my full height to look him in the eyes. "A better man than you'll ever be," I couldn't help but adding that last part. He was seriously starting to get on my nerves. The sooner he'd be out of my life, the better.

"Great at getting us into trouble," He countered, taking a step towards me. "He's not going to get us out of here,"

"What makes you so sure about that?"

"He's _crazy_," He answered decisively, returning my glare.

"Well, do you have any better ideas?" I challenged, turning away from the smuggler. Ben would turn off the tractor beam. Of _course _he would. He was a Jedi Knight.

"Anything would be better than just waiting here," He declared, sitting back down on the leather chair. He spun around, as if he was a child. Gods, he was so annoying.

Abruptly, Artoo started to squeal, whistle and hoot with what I guessed was excitement. "What now?" I asked the protocol droid.

"I'm not quite sure, Mistress Leia," He admitted awkwardly. "He just keeps repeating, 'He's here, I found him!'"

"Who did he find?" Han interjects from across the room.

"Prince Organa," Threepio informed us hesitantly. "I believe he was the person in the message Artoo was- _is_- carrying,"

"The prince?" I exclaimed, staring at the screen. "He's here?"

The golden droid nodded his head. "Level five, detention block AA-twenty-three. He is scheduled for termination shortly,"

"We've got to do something!" I cried, picking up my rifle and rushing towards the door. My hand was hovering over the release panel, but Han quickly stopped me.

"Are you out of your mind?" He shouted, pulling me back from the door. I suppressed a smirk when I picked up a note of jealousy in his voice.

"We have to figure out a way to get to that cell-block," I replied calmly, pulling his wrists off my shoulders.

"Well _I _ain't walkin' into the detention block; who _knows _how many Imps are there?" He announced, sitting down on the chair. He seemed fond of that chair. He just gets weirder and weirder by the minute.

"You just said you didn't want to wait here. _And _you wanted a straight fight, no sneaking around. Make up your mind, Solo," I said haughtily, crossing my arms over my chest.

He put his feet on the control panel, which earned him a snort and a roll of my eyes. "Marching into the detention area is _not_ what I had in mind,"

"But they're gonna execute him!"

"Better him than me,"

I bit back my retort, and decided to go another way. "You jealous?" I smirked at his appalled reaction, holding my chin up high.

"'Course not," He sniffed, turning away from me. "Just don't wanna risk my neck for a stranger, is all,"

I walked up to him and leaned over the back of his chair. "He's rich," I whispered seductively in his ear. "And powerful," I ran a hand through his hair, just to add to the lust of the idea.

He perked up. "Rich?"

"Mmhm…" I murmur, stroking the back of his neck. "The reward would be more than you can imagine…"

"I dunno," He choked out, "I can imagine quite a bit," Chewbacca growled something seemingly menacing, so I backed off Solo a little. "Alright, we're in," He gestured to himself and the Wookie. "But the reward _better _be as big as you make it sound. So what's your plan, sweetheart?"

"Um, gimme those binders," I improvised, holding my hand out expectantly. The pilot handed them to me, and watched me with suspicion as I walked up to Chewie. "I guess I'll just put these on you, and we can pretend that you're a-" The Wookie lunged angrily at me, eliciting a high-pitched squeal from me. I landed on Han's lap, my face turning a bright red. "Maybe…maybe _you _should put them on him."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

"This isn't going to work," Solo snarled, his voice electronic as it came through the filters. He adjusted his grip on the Wookie's binders, cursing a blue streak under his breath. I secretly knew he was right, but I wasn't going to let him get the satisfaction. My ideas had worked before…okay, fine, they _never _worked, but I had a good feeling about this one.

"Why didn't you say so before?" I growled back, crossing my arms over my armoured chest. If there was any reason it wouldn't work, it would probably be because of me; I made a _very _unconvincing Stormtrooper. But hey, maybe it would work; we _did _pass by some Imps on the way to the turbolift. Let's just hope they'll buy it until we rescue the prince. From then on, well, we'll see what happens.

"I _did _say so before!" He whispered angrily, taking a step towards me. "Listen, sweetheart, I ain't in it for a friendship with the prince, or even with _you_! I'm in it for the money!" I held back my retort when the turbolift doors opened, an Imperial officer standing right in front of us.

"What are you doing with this…" His face twisted into a look off disgust as he took in Chewie's presence. "…thing?"

"Prisoner transfer from cell block TS-138," I improvised, saluting the officer. I could tell he was shocked by my appearance; I gave him a dirty look from underneath the helmet. I supposed this thing came in handy from time to time. The cooling unit was a nice touch, too.

"I wasn't notified," The Imp raised an eyebrow at us three. "I'll have to clear it," He turned around and walked to a nearby computer console. He tapped some keys, while Han gave me a nod and secretly unlocked Chewbacca's binders. He whispered something in Corellian, I believed, to the Wookie.

Chewie let out an ear-splitting, spine-tingling yell, and grabbed Solo's rifle. "He's loose!" Han screamed, faking terror. "Everyone, run, before he rips us to shreds!" During all the commotion, Solo and I ducked behind the computer console and started shooting wildly at all the security devices, while taking out a couple of Imps along the way. Chewie shoved everything out of his way, howling all the while. The smuggler rushed to the console in front of us, pressing random buttons. "We've got to find out what cell that prince of yours is in," He told me, pulling off his helmet. "Here he is; cell 2187. Go, Chewie an' I'll hold them off," He yelled over the sound of blaster fire.

"But-"

"Just go!"

The question was asked before I even had time to think about it, "Will you be alright?"

His expression softened, a small smile appearing on his face. "I'll be fine. Go save your prince," I nodded once, then ran for the corridor leading to cell 2187. "Good luck!" I heard him call before I turned the corner.

"You too!" I hollered over my shoulder, shifting the huge rifle in my hands. I rounded the corner, sliding to a stop in front of a metal door, with the numbers 2187 written in tiny letters on it. I key in a code I saw one the officer from earlier tap in. Hopefully it worked…The door flied up with a _whoosh_, revealing a small, gray cell, with only a hard metal bunk, and a pathetic excuse for a refresher. I switched my gaze to the prince, who was lounging on the bunk, twiddling his thumbs.

He turned and looked at me, obviously taken aback. He raised an eyebrow at me, an amused glint in his eyes. "Aren't you _really_ short to be a Stormtrooper?" A snort of laughter escaped him. "Like, unbelievably short?"

"I resent that statement," I shot back, pulling the helmet off my head. "I'm Leia Skywalker, I'm here to rescue you," I explained, running a hand through my messed up hair.

"You're who?" He narrowed his eyes, confusion etched on his face. He was even more handsome than he was in the holo; his blue eyes shined in the dim light of the cell, his blond hair somehow still perfectly coiffed. His white tunic and trousers had become slightly gray, but apart from that, he looked as if he was still in the royal palace.

"Leia Skywalker; I'm here with Ben Kenobi and your two droids!" I replied, completely exasperated.

He bolted up from the bunk and dashed towards me. "Ben Kenobi?" His eyes widened in shock, suddenly becoming excited and agitated.

"You heard me!" I smiled at his reaction; it made him seem so much younger and…happier. But then again, who in their right minds would be happy when they're imprisoned by Imps?

"Where is he?"

I was already halfway down the corridor. "Follow me!"

Luke knocked me out of the way just in time, or else I would have gotten shot where my head had been. "Thanks," I said breathlessly, pulling my blaster out of my belt. I sidled up next to Solo and Chewbacca, who were blasting the Stormtroopers like crazy. I joined in on the fire, and tossed Luke my rifle. Explosions from low-power grenades rocked the corridor, the sound deafening.

"We can't go back that way!" Han shouted over all the noise, blasting like mad. His face was flushed with adrenaline and worry. Chewbacca let out a battle cry, throwing his head back.

"Looks like you managed to cut off our only escape route!" Luke screamed, looking like he'd pop a vein at any given moment. He nailed a trooper right in the chest, bringing him down.

"Maybe you'd like it back in your cell, Your Highness!" The pilot growled, shooting a Stormie in the leg. The Corellian was breathing heavily, and his face was as red as I'd ever seen it.

"Just call me Luke," The prince ordered, giving Han a dirty look. "There's got to be some other way out of here!" He muttered, focusing intently on the Imps shooting at us.

"Threepio!" I called on my comm. "Can you hear me? We need to find another way out of the detention block!" The only answer was static. I groaned and attached the device back to my comm, dodging a shot aimed for my knee.

"This is some rescue!" Organa sighed, shaking his head. "You didn't have an idea on how to get out _before_ you got me?" Luke stared incredulously at me and Han, obviously irked.

"She's the brains, kid," Han jerked a thumb towards me, firing some shots at the walls, hoping to reveal a secret entrance or _something_. I was tempted to point the gun at Solo himself; he'd been nothing but a thorn in my side since the day I met him. I saw a small panel, and decided to shoot it. I supposed it had a self-destruct button; an explosion rocked the corridor. Retched smells filled the hall, making the four of us want to gag. "What're you doing?" The smuggler coughed, hitting a Stormtrooper square in the chest.

"I'm the brains, remember?" I glared, shooting once more at the panel. "Into the garbage chute, flyboy!" I commanded, one foot in the chute. _Here goes nothing…_

* * *

><p>"Yeah, nice going, Skywalker," Solo snorted, lifting his feet out of the trash, taking a couple steps toward me. "What a wonderful smell you've discovered,"<p>

"Will you stop giving her such a hard time?" Luke interjected, drawing himself up to his full height. The smuggler responded with giving him the stink eye, and shooting the door. The blaster bolt ricocheted off the metal door, bouncing off the walls, and finally, landing in the gunk at our feet.

"Put that thing away before you get us all killed!" I screamed, throwing a piece of trash at the irritating pilot. "It's magnetically sealed!"

He reholstered the blaster, his face twisting into a grimace. "I had it all under control until _you _led us down here," He pointed an accusing finger at me.

"Will you shut up?" I countered, taking a step towards him.

"How about you _both _shut up?" Luke intervened, holding his head in his hands. "Look, things could be worse, okay?" Something brushed past his leg, eliciting a small, girlish squeal from him. I held back my laughter when I realized the situation was no laughing matter. "Something just brushed past my leg!" His eyes widened in horror.

Solo shifted on his legs, putting his hands on his hips, declaring, "Its worse."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

"I'm sure it's just your imagination, kid," Han assured the prince, but he didn't sound as confident as he liked, I'm sure. His face was slightly pale, and I saw his larynx bobbing up and down quite often and noticeably. He also cocked his gun, his hands trembling. I raised an eyebrow at him. "Force of habit," He muttered, his eyes avoiding mine.

"What the-?" Luke murmured, his sentence cut off with a gasp. Suddenly, Luke's not there anymore. He got dragged down underneath the rubbish by some…_thing_. I could have sworn I saw a tentacle out of the corner of my eye.

"Luke!" Han and I shouted in harmony, our hands frantically digging through the heaps of trash. The smell tickled my nostrils, making me want to gag. We searched, but the prince was nowhere to be found. So much for saving him, huh?

"Help!" He screamed, coming up to the surface for a mere couple seconds. A period of time much too short to make it over to him through the trash and help him up. "Shoot it!" He ordered, rising to the surface for another few seconds. This time, though, Han was able to help him at least get him halfway out.

"Where is it?" Han bellowed, his rifle hanging limply in his hand, the other gripping Luke's bicep tightly. I was able to tell that Han started caring for the prince; they seemed to be like brothers already, strangely enough.

"Just shoot anywhere!" Luke choked, the tentacle's grip on his neck growing stronger and tighter by the second. Solo and I began shooting in random directions, hoping to hit at least part of the creature. Even a graze would probably be good enough; anything to give Organa enough time to escape the clutches of the creature. We all sighed in relief as one of my shots hit the creature in what seemed to be his head; with all the species in this galaxy, some stranger than others, it could be hard to tell what parts were which on certain peoples. Luke rubbed his forehead, and gave a brief hug to Han, Chewie and I. He was shell-shocked, of course, and exhausted.

Abruptly, a deep rumbling came from above, below and around us. "I've got a bad feeling about this," I muttered, holstering my blaster. Machinery clanged and clunked as the walls began to move slowly towards us. The four of us just stood there in awe, before I finally realized what was happening and came back to reality. "Don't just stand there!" I commanded, hopping up on one of the giant trash piles. "Brace it with somethin'!" I tried to pull up a thick, not to mention extremely heavy, metal pole, but I just ended up getting flung backwards, landing on a smaller pile.

"Well, it would help if you weren't so tiny!" The Corellian growled, helping me stand up. I held back my retort and settled for a dirty look.

"Help me with this!" Luke called, trying to lift up another pole. Han and I rushed down to help him, as did Chewbacca, who was banging his fists on the door forcefully.

"Your comm!" Han exclaimed after a few minutes of trying to life the pole.

"What?" I hollered, unable to hear him over the immensely loud grinding of the walls. He pulled the small device off of my utility belt, handing it to me, his eyes wide with what seemed to be fear. I awkwardly took it and turned it on; "Threepio!" I shrieked into the comm. "Threepio, come in, Threepio!" The only response was some clicking and then static. "Threepio?" I breathed, my hands starting to shake. Oh no, this wasn't good. Not at all. I looked around at my three friends desperately. If he wouldn't comm back soon, we wouldn't be around for much longer…

* * *

><p>Several minutes later, and <em>still <em>no word from the protocol droid, the walls were coming closer and closer together, sending everyone into a small panic. Surely we didn't deserve to die this way; getting crushed by a trash compactor? Sounded lame, in my opinion. I would have much rather died fighting for something I believed in, something I loved. But maybe fate had different plans for me in store.

"One thing's for sure," Solo commented grimly, his face twisting into a grimace. "We're all going to be a lot thinner," He leaned up against one wall, trying in a vain attempt to stop it from closing in on us, or at least push it back.

"It's not gonna work," I muttered, earning a glare from Han. "Just stating the obvious," I defended myself, holding up my hands. "Threepio!" I tried again, gripping the comm tightly, subconsciously aware that I might have ended up crushing it. "Come in, Threepio!"

"Try the hatch again," Luke instructed, nodding towards Solo. Everyone blocked their ears at the deafening shot rang, bouncing off the walls and landing in the trash once more. I had to agree with Solo; at least I was gonna lose those extra couple of pounds…

* * *

><p>With only a meter or so left before we became pancakes, I reached out and gripped the closest thing I could find, which just so happened to be Han's hand. My breathing became more shallow with each passing second, knowing that we were gonna be dead soon. He squeezed my hand in an attempt to be reassuring, but it only made me more nervous; his touch did that to me. It annoyed the hell out of me, that's for sure. "Threepio?" I tried once more, my voice cracking. I felt like I was on the verge of tears; I even let a few escape. I didn't care if they saw me crying, since we were going to die in a couple minutes, anyway. "Threepio," I whispered one last time, before finally giving up. "We're gonna die," I declared quietly, my voice shaking.<p>

"You don't know that," Luke said lamely, trying to be confident and assuring. Han, Chewbacca and I all gave him an exasperated look. He sighed, his lips twisting into a frown. "Okay, fine, we probably _are_ gonna die,"

Han looked at me, sweat painted on his forehead. "Leia?"

"Yeah?"

"Try the comlink again,"

"But it-"

"Trust me," His voice lowered, barely louder than a whisper. His hand guided mine to the comlink, then back to my lips. "Just do it,"

"Threepio?" I choked out, my eyes never leaving Han's.

"Mistress Leia?" The protocol droid answered, much to our relief. The connection wasn't the best, but no one cared; we would get out alive. "We were having some problems-"

"Just shut up and listen!" I cried. I couldn't help the grin spread across my face. "Shut off all of the garbage units on the detention level! Do you copy? Shut down all the garbage units on the detention level!" The walls began to clang and shake, slowly backing away from us. The four of us whooped with pure joy, pumping our fists in excitement. Han pulled me into a hug, and I gladly returned the embrace. Luke hopped over to us and joined in, and Chewbacca arrived a short while later. "Threepio, Artoo!" I shouted gleefully into the comlink, a giant grin on my face. "We're safe! You did it! Do you read me? You did it!"

"We're glad to hear you're safe," Threepio chirped happily.

Solo grabbed the comm out of my hands. "Open the hatch on unit 366-117891," He commanded, a wide smile on his handsome face.

I never thought I'd be so happy to hear Threepio say, "Yes, sir."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

"See-Threepio, do you copy?" I spoke softly into my comlink as Chewie, Han, Luke and I rounded the corner. We stopped dead in our tracks upon seeing the Millennium Falcon in the hangar bay. I never thought I'd be so happy and relieved to see that hunk of junk.

"I read you, mistress," The protocol droid acknowledged after a burst of static. "We had to abandon our hideout,"

"Are you two safe?" I asked, crossing my fingers behind behind my back. If the information on Artoo was as vital as I heard, I wanted the droids to be as safe as possible.

"For the moment, yes," He answered, making me sigh in relief. "We're in the main hangar across from the ship,"

I searched for the golden body of Threepio and the blue-white one of Artoo, but they were nowhere in sight. "I can't seem to find you two; we must be above you. We'll join you as soon as we can,"

"Good luck, Mistress Skywalker," He replied before ending the connection.

"We're gonna need it," I muttered under by breath, hooking the comlink back onto my belt. I turned to the three males. "C'mon, let's get going,"

"Let's just hope the old fossil managed to knock out the tractor beam," Han grunted, pulling his blaster out of his holster. The four of us jogged towards the freighter, trying to be as quiet and stealthy as possible. Since Han and I changed back into our regular outfits, it was much easier; no more stinking Stormie boots.

I hadn't noticed Luke was still gaping at the ship, until he turned to Solo and blurted out; "You came in that thing?"

"She's got it where it counts, kid," The smuggler defended his prized possession, his eyebrows furrowing.

"What a hunk of junk!" Organa cried, still mesmerized by the freighter.

"Okay, we get it!" Han sighed with a roll of his hazel eyes. Suddenly, twenty-something Stormtroopers rounded the corner, practically bumping into us. I muttered a blue-streak of curses in every language I knew; Basic, with a hint of Corellian and even some Twi'leki and Huttese thrown in there. Before I could even pull out my blaster, I saw Han charge forward, shooting in random directions and yelling at the top of his lungs.

"What the hell does he think he's doing?" Luke watched in amazement as the pirate rounded the corner, the troops panicking. Chewie ran after his friend, howling and roaring loudly.

"You never know with him," I shook my head, a small smile etched on my face. Luke looked at me quizzically, yet slightly amused. "What?" I asked him, confusion apparent on my face.

"You really like him, don't you?"

I felt my cheeks heat up. "He's…he's alright, I suppose…" I quickly grabbed hold of the prince's hand and gesture to the opposite corridor with my blaster. "C'mon, let's find another way to the hangars. Solo and Chewie can take care of themselves."

* * *

><p>"I think we took a wrong turn," My voice echoed throughout the shaft as I stared in disbelief at the wide gap below us. I tried desperately to regain my balance, my arms flailing around.<p>

Luke pulled me back, a snort escaping him. "Ya think?" His voice dripped with sarcasm. He turned away for a moment and shot the control panel, the door sliding down from above and blocking the Stormtrooper's way of getting to us. "This won't hold them long; got any ideas, Leia?" He raised an eyebrow at me expectantly.

"Not at the moment," I said slowly, holstering my blaster. "Why are you asking? You're the so-called military genius here, are you not?"

"But you're the so-called brains, are you not?" He mocked playfully, winking at me. His good mood vanished instantly after the words left his mouth. "Dammit, we've got company," He muttered darkly, lifting his rifle up and aiming it at the Stormtroopers on the small platform across from us. A vile curse escaped me as a blaster bolt grazed my thigh. I hissed in pain and shot the trooper in the abdomen, causing him to fall into the gap below us. "Nice shot," Luke commented, missing a Stormie by a couple of inches. "Watch your language, though,"

I turned around at the sound of clunking machinery behind me. "Kriff!" I growled. "They're almost through!" I whipped my head back to the Imps in front of me, just in time to see Organa shoot another one. Two down, one more to go. I ground my teeth and focused on the white and black figure. "Let's just get this over with," I turned up the power on my blaster, and fired. He fell down with a _thud_, half of his body hanging off the stub of a platform. I raised an eyebrow at the Alderaanian. "You figure something out yet?"

"That I shouldn't mess with you; you're a good shot," He admitted, even though he knew the question was about the escape. "About the escape, however…" His eyes trailed down and stopped at my utility belt. "I've got it!" He tugged on my belt, making me yelp in protest. He took out a grapple hook I didn't even know I had; I was still wearing the Stormtrooper belt. With a swift toss, the hook landed and tied itself around a pole above us. Pulling me closer by the waist, he held onto me tightly.

I kissed the prince's cheek. "For luck," I explained, my cheeks turning a faint pink. He nodded in understanding, took a deep breath, and pushed off the platform. I fought to hold back a squeal that threatened to escape me; I just held onto the prince with all my strength. And a few seconds later, my feet touched the platform. "We made it!" I cried happily, hugging Luke for good measure.

"We shouldn't celebrate yet," He said seriously, gesturing the platform we had just vacated. "The door is almost open. C'mon, let's get going," He shot the control panel, the door sliding up and revealing a corridor that looked exactly like all the others.

"I wonder how Solo's holding up…" I murmured, only realizing I said it out loud after Organa gave me a funny look. "Chewbacca, too," I added quickly.

He waved his hand dismissively and headed down the corridor. "I'm sure they're fine,"

I followed closely behind him. I just hoped he was right about that…

* * *

><p>"What took you guys so long?" Han quipped as we bumped into him and Chewie in the hangar bay. Across from us was the Falcon, but we were not alone; surrounding the freighter were dozens of Stormtroopers, milling around it like a colony of ants.<p>

"We ran into some old friends," I replied, brushing a strand of hair from my face. "Is everything alright?"

"So far," The smuggler responded casually. "Doesn't look like the removed or blasted anything,"

"Not yet, anyway," was Luke's sardonic response. His eyes widened and gasped, pointing straight ahead. "_Look_!"


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

Obi-Wan Kenobi's blue lightsaber ignited and clashed with a red one. Holding it was a tall, dark, cloaked figure, his face covered by an intimidating mask. The fight attracted not only us four, but most of the others in the hangar bay; pilots, Stormtroopers, guards…the duel was truly a sight to be seen. Although I couldn't help but feel it would end badly for a certain sand hermit.

"Good, now's our chance," Solo declared, gesturing to the Falcon with his blaster. He led the way, Chewbacca, Luke and I following closely behind. Our boots clicked quietly on the polished floor, while Chewie's furry, padded feet slid silently.

I stopped dead in my tracks as Kenobi closed his lightsaber, and Vader- I assumed it was him- brought his up and over, slicing straight through the old general. His body disappeared instantly, leaving behind only a lightsaber and a cloak. My throat became dry, my eyes widening more than I thought possible. I drew in a silent gasp, feeling as if an invisible hand squeezed my lungs and heart, as if they'd burst at any second. He was gone. My mentor, my father-figure…my best friend. Gone. Just like that. And I didn't do anything.

"_No_!" A voice that sounded oddly like mine screamed loudly. "_Ben_!" I realized it _was _me who screamed. All of a sudden, every eye in the hangar was on me. The Imperials quickly recovered from the shock and began shooting at the four of us. Han pulled me out of the way just as a blaster bolt sizzled past where my head once was.

"Why the hell did you do that?" The smuggler hissed angrily, raising his blaster and firing rapidly at the approaching Stormtroopers.

"I'm sorry!" I shouted back, nailing a pilot in the chest.

"_Sorry_?" Han mocked bitterly, his lips twisting into a grimace.

"Stop arguing and get to the damn ship!" Luke commanded, bolting to the freighter.

"Leia…listen to him! Go!" A voice inside my head cried. It sounded vaguely familiar…I decided to listen to the voice. I ran as fast as I could towards the ship, grabbing Han in the process.

By the time Han and I reached the cockpit, Chewie and Luke were already seated and preparing for take-off. I heard Organa mutter, "Hopefully this piece of junk will work."

* * *

><p>I sulked to the living area, ignoring Han and Luke's questions and comments directed at me. I bumped into several things on the way, but it was as if I didn't feel it at all. I felt…<em>numb<em>. I'd probably wake up with bruises all over my body and wonder how the hell I got them.

I practically fell onto the holochess table, yet somehow managed to slip into the plush bench. I stared vacantly ahead, wondering why in the seven hells Ben just let that happen. He just let himself die. My thoughts we interrupted by the prince, who gently placed a thick blanket over my shoulders. "Hey," He murmured. "You okay?"

"I miss him," I replied softly, leaning into his warm embrace.

"It'll be okay," He stroked my hair, placing a light kiss on my cheek.

"Organa, Skywalker," Han's voice boomed. "I need one of you to come with me to the turrets; we got company," Luke automatically bolted up and out of the seat, his warmth leaving my side. Han nodded once at the prince, then rushed to the turrets, Luke right on his heels. "Leia, go to the cockpit!" I heard Solo's voice from down the hall.

I reluctantly obliged, my feet barely leaving the floor with each step. The grief seemed to weigh me down. I sat down next to Chewbacca, who growled softly at me in acknowledgement. I nodded back, turning on the comm. I watched in awe as the wave of TIE Fighters came towards us, the small domes flying with such speed and grace. "Here they come," I croaked into the comm.

"They're coming in too fast!" Luke shrieked, just missing a fighter. Han quickly shot it, making it explode into millions of tiny pieces. The cockpit suddenly shuddered and groaned, almost tossing me out of my seat and into Chewie's lap. He barely noticed me, his paws flying over the controls, throwing the ship over, under and sideways. One of the guys shot another TIE, who swirled out of control and hit another one. The Wookie muttered something to me, and I silently cursed myself for not knowing Shriiwook.

A couple more TIEs exploded, relaxing me slightly. "There's still two more out there," I spoke calmly into the comm. "We lost the lateral monitors and the deflector shield,"

"Don't worry, sweetheart," Solo grunted. "She'll hold together,"

"I wish I had your confidence," Luke shot back, shooting a TIE in the guns. The last fighter flew off, obviously worried about the odds.

A grin appeared on my face as I pulled the Wookie into a big hug. "We did it!"

* * *

><p>Han came into the cockpit minutes later, replacing Chewie in the pilot seat. I stared at the starlines of hyperspace, completely emotionless. "Leia?" He tried, his voice low and soft. "Leia, c'mon, look at me," He urged, reaching for my hand. I turned my gaze from the viewport to his shining hazel eyes. "I know it's hard," He whispered, giving my hand a squeeze. "But it'll be alright. There's nothing you could have done. It'll be alright," He repeats. "Trust me,"<p>

My lips twist into a small smile. "I really hate it when you say that, Solo," I chuckle, shaking my head. He grins, glad to see me in a better mood.

"What do you think of the prince?" He asks abruptly.

"He's nice," I answered slowly. "Why? You jealous?" I tease, poking him in the chest.

"No!" Han sputtered.

"You are!" I squealed. A burst of laughter escaped me. "Han Solo…jealous!" I left the cockpit before he could deny it. It _was _true. I could see it in his eyes. He was jealous! _Han Solo_, of all people!

* * *

><p>The Falcon landed gently on the green grass of Yavin IV, the view incredible. The huge stone temple was centuries old, or so it seemed. Judging from the size and beauty of it, I guessed it was a rather sacred place. I heard Luke mention it was once a Jedi academy.<p>

The six of us stepped out of the freighter, the humid jungle air hitting us. The smell of trees and all sorts of plants filled my nostrils, drawing me out of the ship. I had never traveled off planet before, and Yavin IV is quite a sight to be seen, I'll admit that. A lovely change from Tatooine.

We climbed into a speeder, courtesy of the Rebellion; apparently Luke got special treatment. Which makes sense, I suppose, since, after all, he _was _a prince. The speeder zoomed through the temple, coming to a stop in front of a large crowd in the hangar bay. The people surrounded us, trying to get a word to Organa. Han, Chewbacca and I slipped quietly by them, deciding to explore the temple. No one noticed me, thank Gods. How I hated being the center of attention.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

The briefing room was rather cramped and stuffy, packed with members of the Rebellion. I still didn't consider myself one at the time, since I had just arrived on base to drop off the prince. Of course, he convinced me to fly in the battle, but I wanted to hear the attack plan, first. No way was I going out there to die as soon as I reached the Death Star.

Everyone turned their attention to the man at the front of the room, the indistinct chatter fading away. General Jan Dodonna, I thought. With his amazing posture and confident aura, he was obviously a man full of experience and wisdom. He cleared his throat, grabbing the attention of every single person in the room. A technician hooked Artoo up to the computer, the technical readouts appearing on a small screen at the front of the room.

"The battle station is heavily shielded and carries firepower greater than half the Starfleet," He began, pacing back and forth. "Its defences are designed around a direct large scale assault," The general points to the diagram onscreen. "A small, one-man-fighter should be able to penetrate the outer defence," I glanced behind me, catching Solo's eye for a second. He waved his hand dismissively as Chewbacca quietly roared a question.

"Pardon me for asking, sir," A pilot at the front of the room interrupted. "But what good are snub-fighters going to be against that?" Murmurs echo throughout the room as people take in his statement.

"Well, the Empire doesn't consider a small, one-man-fighter to be any threat," Dodonna admitted. "Or, they'd have a tighter defence," He looked around the room before returning his gaze to the screen. "An analysis of the plans provided by Prince Luke has demonstrated a weakness in the battle station," Artoo beeped in disapproval, but Jan carried on, "Approach will not be easy. You will be required to manoeuvre straight down this trench and skim the surface to this point," The onscreen animation stopped at a small gap. "The target area is only two meters wide; it's a small thermal exhaust port, right below the main port," Luke gave me a funny look, and I returned it in kind. "The shaft leads directly to the reactor system. A precise hit will start a chain reaction, which should destroy the station. _Only _a precise hit will set off a chain reaction," Almost as an afterthought, he added, "The shaft is ray-shielded, so you'll have to use proton torpedoes,"

"That's impossible, even for a computer!" Corellian Rogue Squadron pilot, Wedge Antilles blurted out.

"It's not impossible," I assured him, leaning closer to the pilot. "I used to bulls eye womp rats back home in my T-16, and _they're _not much more than two meters,"

"Then man your ships," Dodonna commanded, ending the meeting. "And may the Force be with you."

On my way to my X-wing, I found Han and Chewbacca loading boxes and crates into the Falcon. Suspicious, I walked over to them, holding on tightly to my helmet under my arm. "So, you get your reward and you're just gonna leave?" I said coolly, raising an eyebrow at the smuggler.

"That's right, yeah," He avoided my accusing gaze. "I got some old debts I gotta pay off with this stuff," I could tell he held back a sharp retort. He loaded one more box into the freighter, before staring into my eyes, his expression slightly softening. "Why don't you come with us? You're pretty good in a fight. We could use you,"

"You have _got _to be kidding me!" I gaped at the pilot, hot on his tail as he went up the ramp to load another crate. "Take a look around, dammit! You know what's about to happen here!" My tone sweetened, a small part of me hoping he'd stay. "We could use a good pilot like you,"

"What good's a reward if you ain't around to use it?" Solo sneered, slamming his fist on a crate for emphasis. "'Sides, attacking that battle station ain't my idea of courage. More like…_suicide_,"

"Han, we need you!" I protested, following him up the ramp of the Falcon. Chewie had seemed to disappear; I figured he didn't want to get involved in this argument.

"We need?" He repeated in a mocking tone.

"Yes!"

"What about you need?" He challenged.

"_I_ need," I raised my chin, drawing myself up to my full height. When catching the amused spark in his eye, I shake my head, shrinking back down. "I don't know what you're talking about,"

He snaps his finger, his expression one of mock-regret. "Probably do," He began walking down the ramp to fetch some more boxes.

"And how precisely am I supposed to know?"

"C'mon!" Han pressed, walking briskly away from me. "You want me to stay because of the way you feel about me!"

"Yes! We could use a good pilot like you!"

He spun around on his heel, almost pushing me over. "No! That's not it! C'mon," He pointed a finger in my face. I stared at him in shock, my throat suddenly dry. "C'mon!" He repeated, a huge, slow grin appearing on his face.

"You're imagining things!" I spat, my eyes narrowing.

"Am I? Then why are you following me? Afraid I was gonna leave without giving you a goodbye kiss?" His eyebrows furrowed as he took a step towards me.

"I'd just as soon kiss a _Wookie_!" I snarled, taking a step back from him.

He stepped forward once again, his expression softening, looking almost…_hurt_. He lowered his voice, staring at the floor. "Look, we shouldn't be fighting,"

"That's one thing we can agree on,"

"I just…" He awkwardly scratches the back of his neck. "I just wanted to wish you luck,"

A smile tugged at the corners of my lips. "Well that's very sweet of you, Captain, but as you know, I don't believe in luck,"

A lopsided smile graced his handsome face. "May the Force be with you, Leia,"

I grinned at the sound of my name coming from his lips. "You, too, Han," He was leaving. And there was nothing I could do about it. A wave of tears threatened to escape my eyes. "Take care of yourself," I spun around and walked to my X-wing, letting the tears fall from my eyes.

"Red five, standing by," Luke's voice said through the comm.

"Red eight, standing by," I replied, lowering the volume on the comm. Damn, those things were loud. My palms started to sweat, my heart pounding loudly in my chest. As the ships approached the Death Star, I took a deep breath, hoping it would calm me.

_Leia. The Force will be with you. _Ben's voice echoed throughout my head. A small smile found its way onto my face.

_I sure hope you're right about that_.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

As our ships approached the huge battle station, a wave of uncertainty washed over me. Was this really the best thing to do? Couldn't we have just evacuated Yavin IV, instead of risking our lives, going head to head with the Empire? Anyway…what did I know? I was just a stupid, naïve farmgirl.

Suddenly, my X-wing started shaking, the engines groaning in protest at the abrupt movements. "We're passing through a magnetic field," One of the pilots said on my comm. "Hold tight, and switch on your deflectors," I did as I was told, the shaking slowly stopping.

"Look at the size of that thing!" Wedge exclaimed in awe.

"Accelerate to attack speed!" Red Leader commanded, ignoring Antilles' comment. "This is it, boys!" I inwardly cursed. Did he forget I was fighting, too? Or did he just decide not to acknowledge my existence?

"Red Leader, this is Gold Leader,"

"I copy, Gold Leader!"

"We're heading for the target shaft now,"

"We're in position," I barely paid attention to the conversations going on, even though they were practically yelling in my ears. "I'm going to cut across the axis and try to draw their fire,"

The turbolasers shot at us rapidly, a shot or two occasionally skimming the belly or side of our fighters. I managed to stay clear of the fire, thank gods, and I noticed the prince did, too. I did a barrel roll and caught up with the others. "Red Five, I'm going in," Luke declared, shooting towards the turbolaser once more. "Leia, cover me,"

"Sure thing, Organa," I replied, diving into the trench of the Death Star. "Are you alright?"

"I got a little cooked," Luke growled. "Only got one gun left. You go up ahead, Skywalker; I'll cover you," I reluctantly obliged, speeding up and cutting in front of the prince's X-wing.

_Leia! Trust your feelings! _The voice shouted, invading my thoughts once more. I shook my head, trying to rid my brain of the strange echo.

"Red Squadron," Another voice interrupted my trance, this time someone from the command center on Yavin. "There's a wave of enemy fighters coming towards you,"

"My scope's negative, I don't see anything!" Prince Organa protested.

"Here they come!" One of the pilots groaned, proving Luke wrong.

"Watch it!" Red Leader screamed. "You've got one on your tail!" The pilot the statement was directed to didn't act fast enough, and was soon blown into a million pieces.

I shot a TIE that was after fellow Tatooine native, Biggs Darklighter. "Thanks, Skywalker," He sighed with relief. I didn't bother responding; I continued to fly toward the trench.

"This is Gold Leader," He stated into the comm a few minutes later. "We're starting our attack run."

* * *

><p>Gold Squadron failed. They missed the exhaust port by less than a meter. I decided it was up to me, Luke and Wedge, the other two remaining pilots. We had lost most of Red Squadron, but now was not the time for sorrows. We had a battle to win. "Wedge, Luke!" I barked. "Cover me! I'm going in,"<p>

"Are you crazy?" Wedge gasped. "We've lost almost everyone and-"

"Wedge," Luke intervened. "She can do it. Just listen to her," I grinned; Organa was always on my side, and he was always there when I needed him.

"I'm hit!" Antilles cried after a few minutes of silence. "I can't stay with you,"

"Get clear, Wedge!" I shouted back. "You can't do any more good back there!"

"Sorry!" He apologized lamely, and he pulled out of position. Flying back to the Rebel base, leaving me and Luke, alone.

"Artoo, increase the power!"

"Leia, watch out!"

"What?" My eyes widened as Luke took a hit to the engines, a small fire lighting his ship. "Luke! Are you alright?"

"Leia!" His voice crackled on the comm, his connection almost dead. "I'm fine. I think. I have to go back; one more hit and I'm done for!"

"Go! I'll finish it on my own!" I turned on my targeting computer, the countdown starting. As I approached the exhaust port, and with the TIE fighter gaining on me, I heard the voice again. _Use the Force, Leia! Let go! Leia…trust me. _"I trust you, Ben," I muttered, switching off the device.

"You switched off your targeting computer," Someone on base contacted me. "Leia, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," I gritted through my teeth, continuing my approach towards the target. A shot from the TIEs shot Artoo, the droid ablaze. "I've lost Artoo!"

"Skywalker, hurry! The Death Star's in range!"

My computer indicated a TIE was about to shoot. "Kriff, Luke, why do you get shot when I need you?"

"Yahoo!" A new voice on my comm shouted with glee, shooting two out of the three TIEs.

"Han!" I grinned, the bad feeling in the pit of my stomach vanishing as quickly as those TIEs. One of the fighters crashed into the third, only Han and I left.

"You're all clear, sweetheart! Now let's blow this thing and go home!" With one press on the trigger, I released the proton torpedoes. I waited impatiently to see if they actually went in the exhaust port…they did. I grinned ear to ear, not caring if my cheeks hurt from it. Han and I flew away from the Death Star, just as the colossal station exploded into hundreds and millions of pieces. "Great shot, Skywalker, that was one in a million!" I could hear the grin in his voice.

_Remember...the Force will be with you…always._

* * *

><p>I hopped out of my X-wing, a huge crowd waiting to greet me. Luke ran up to me, still dressed in his pilot's gear, and swept me off my feet, both of us laughing and grinning until it hurt so much. I was beyond giddy…who wouldn't be? I had just destroyed a space station, for Kriff's sake, and won a huge victory for the Alliance against the Empire.<p>

"Hey, don't I deserve some credit?" Han's voice boomed from behind the X-Wing. He ran up and hugged both me and Luke, and I couldn't help but wonder where Chewie was. Oh well, I'm sure he's fine.

Luke left with the other pilots, the rest of the crowd following the prince. "You did it," Solo breathed, a thin sheet of perspiration on his forehead.

"No," I shook my head, breathing heavily. "_We _did it. Han, I wouldn't have been able to if it weren't for-" He cut me off, pulling me close and placing a kiss on my lips. I smiled against his, tangling my fingers in his shaggy hair and pulling him even closer.

"Hey, you two lovebirds!" Organa laughed, interrupting my and Han's private moment. "Save it for later! Time to celebrate!" The prince whooped and went to join the others. Solo turned back to me and leaned in once more. We ignored the cheers and wolf whistles made by the few lingering Rebels. For once in my life, everything was perfect.

* * *

><p>Chewbacca, Han and I walked into the throne room, butterflies in my stomach. The entire base turned up for the medal ceremony, and, like I said before, I absolutely hated being the center of attention. On the other side of the huge temple was Prince Luke Organa, looking as immaculate as ever. He discreetly gave me a thumbs up, and I grinned back at him. He was the sweetest thing. Any girl would be lucky to have him.<p>

Not me, of course. I had my scoundrel. He reached over squeezed my hand, silently offering support. I smiled back shyly; it was weird having a boyfriend. It was even weirder calling him that.

We reached Luke, who had a huge, dopey grin on his face. Han and I bowed our heads, while Chewie stood off to the side, since he wasn't receiving a medal. I felt kinda bad; the prince even offered to give him one, but the Wookie refused.

After placing the medals around our necks, we all turned around to face the large audience. They cheered for us, my cheeks turning a bright red. At the other side of the room, I saw a blurry, glowing blue figure. I grinned. _Obi-Wan_.


End file.
